Chapter 191: CHAOS.
FINNEGAN
BANG!
The sound of the shot cracked through the night like thunder.
"Abigail!" I roared, terror slamming into me like a freight train. My hands shot out beside me and I seized her instantly, hauling her against my chest and shielding her body with mine.
No. No!
My heart was pounding so violently I could barely hear anything else. My hands raced over her back, her sides, her arms, searching for blood, for a wound, for any sign that the bullet had struck her.
Not her. Please God, not Abigail.
The thought of losing her, of her bright eyes going dull, life slowly draining away from them, her fiery spirit being snuffed out, nearly brought me to my knees.
I had only just found her. I couldn’t lose her, not like this. Not when she was finally mine.
"Abigail, baby, talk to me," I rasped, cupping her face with both hands, searching her cornflower blue eyes. "Are you hurt? Tell me you’re okay."
"I’m fine," she breathed, her fingers fisting in my suit jacket, her eyes wide with fright. A thick lump sat heavy in my throat as I scanned her quickly. "Finn, I’m okay—"
A scream tore through the hall, cutting her off. My head snapped up from Abigail just in time to see Richard Saxon stagger forward, clutching his chest.
Wait a damn minute. My spine stiffened as I watched blood soak the white shirt under his suit jacket, spreading from his right side to his stomach and then up.
His eyes widened in shock before his knees buckled and he crashed hard to the marble floor.
"Oh my god!"
Shit hit the fan and chaos erupted like a boiling volcano. Screams filled the air as guests surged toward the exits, shoving at each other, trampling over one another.
Tables were overturned, glasses shattered across the floor while Richard’s body twitched and convulsed on the ground as everyone abandoned him.
Shit. Why would anyone shoot Richard Saxon? Wrong question — why would anyone shoot him here at my party? I knew he was shady as hell and definitely had enemies, but to the extent of assassinating him?
My security team swarmed in immediately, forming a protective wall around me and Abigail. I crushed her tighter against me, a bitter taste flooding my mouth as Richard groaned and writhed on the floor.
We couldn’t just leave him there like that.
"Sir, we need to get you out now!" one of them shouted.
"Get the ambulance here right fucking now!" I ordered, pushing forward through the crowd toward Richard, taking Abigail with me.
"Hey," she called beside me, "I’ll work with the security team to handle the crowd and..."
"No," I barked, catching her wrist and pulling her flush against my side. "You’re not leaving my sight. Stay with me."
The sheer terror that had ripped through me minutes ago was still clawing at my chest. The mere thought that the bullet could have been meant for her, or worse, that it had hit her, made me feel violently sick. I couldn’t breathe properly until I had her tucked safely against me.
We dropped down beside Richard. He was gasping, blood bubbling from his mouth as he glared up at me with pure hatred in his eyes.
"You... bastard..." he wheezed, fisting the front of my suit with bloody fingers. "You did this. You wanted to shut me up."
I stared at him, completely stunned. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Was he delirious from blood loss?
"You... thought I’d talk," he rasped, his eyes wild with pain as he glared accusingly at me. "Smart move... but I know what you’ve been doing..."
"Uhhh," Abigail and I exchanged glances.
"What’s he talking about?"
"No idea. Richard, I don’t know what you’re talking about, just try to breathe."
"Don’t... pretend... to be a hero," he spat. "Won’t... go down easily... Wolfe."
So he wasn’t delirious then? He knew it was me he was talking to. But I had no idea what on earth he was saying.
Pretending to be a hero? Wanting to shut him up? Shut him up about what exactly?
Medics finally rushed in, shouldering us aside as they worked on him. I rose slowly, my mind spinning. I had no reason to want Richard dead, not a single one.
Abigail stayed glued to my side as security and police took over, firing questions about the incident.
"I don’t know if this is relevant, but I saw a strange man like half an hour before the gunshot," Abigail reported, her shoulders brushing mine.
I had draped my suit jacket around her shoulders while we stood outside with the police. It took everything in me not to pull her against my chest and crush her in my arms. We couldn’t do that in public.
"What do you mean strange man?" The head of the NYPD unit that was dispatched to the hall, Officer Robin, demanded.
"I saw him at the company some weeks ago. I know he’s not an employee and he somehow managed to escape. But I saw him again tonight."
"We’re supposed to rely on that?!" he scoffed.
"My assistant has a perfect memory," I snapped, narrowing my eyes at the man. "Instead of doubting her story, shouldn’t you be searching for evidence that supports it?"
Robin cleared his throat. "My apologies. Men, check the cameras."
It took ten minutes to discover every single camera in the venue had been wiped clean. This was orchestrated by someone working with me. It had to be someone close, because there was no other way they could have pulled this off without my security team picking up on it.
"Well that’s that, the cameras are busted."
"I know someone who can recover them," Abigail replied, slipping her phone out of her purse to call Annette.
Someone clearly wanted Richard dead tonight, but why the fuck did Richard think I was behind it?
My phone buzzed with a call from one of my men who had followed the ambulance. "Boss, Richard has been stabilized and is demanding to speak to you at the hospital."
I glanced at Abigail, my jaw clenching. I didn’t want to leave her, especially after what just happened.
"Go," she whispered. "I’ll wait for Annette and work with the police."
I didn’t want to. Every instinct screamed at me to keep her locked against my side where I could protect her.
Instead, I took her hand and squeezed it hard, wishing I could haul her into my arms and kiss her senseless in front of everyone.
"Stay safe," I rasped in a thick voice. "Please, Abigail."
She nodded, squeezing my hand back.
I turned to Robin, who had his brows raised.
"Nothing happens to her. Am I clear?"
